Canine Companions "Leave It" Challenge

[Diane and Alma]

Just thought I'd share this. 

My daughter's Girl Scout troop met with a lady who is raising her 4th puppy for Canine Companions for Independence.  She shared this picture with the girls. 

The local CCI chapter (Gold Rush Champions) got together recently with their puppies (lab and retriever mixes).  They decided to buy hamburgers and French fries from a local restaurant and spell out the chapter logo.  They put the pups in a down-stay command as a training exercise. 

It looks like they did amazingly well.  She did say one of the youngest pups couldn't resist and gobbled up a burger before they could stop him.  She also said one of the tests at the CCI headquarters (after the puppy trainers hand over the dogs and prior to getting their companions) is to put French fries all over the floor and have the dogs walk through and not pick up any!

Needless to say, my 13 year old daughter now wants to raise a puppy for CCI.

 

 

[Adina P]

How cute!  Good doggies!   That pup learned a valuable lesson: "Take it!"

[Diane and Alma]

Ha Ha!  I'm sure they will be working hard on that one.

[Diane, Baker & Oskar]

What a great picture !  

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I love this and these are beautiful dogs.  I notice lots of Gentle Leaders...interesting.  When Guinness was doing his TDI training, he had to walk right past a ham hock (very smelly) on the floor and not break.  He also had to sit right next to a mock "patient" with food crumbs all over her and the floor and not react.  At the time I thought this was a bit extreme, but when we actually started going to the Alzheimer's facility there was often food on the floor or even the patients' clothes, so he really did need to learn not to be distracted by it. 

[Adina P]

I need to work Rosco majorly around food.  He couldn't care less about his therapy work if there is food around...even across the room.  Or if someone has a tissue on their person.  The last time we did anything was a few months ago at a local university.  Rosco and I were the first team there and the sister of one of the girl's in charge brought her lunch and sat on a bench near us.  Rosco did all he could to face her and stare at her eating.  I didn't want to keep him in a sit or down stay the whole time, but without that he would just turn around and face her...again and again and again.

[Wendy and Myla]

That's exactly what Myla does - she just sits very prettily and stares at whoever is eating - she's not actually begging so it's hard to tell her not to "sit pretty" lol - even if we tell her to lay down, she lays and just stares!  Unfortunately because she is so cute everyone wants to share with her and think I'm the meanest person around when I tell them not to.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

We had cats in the room, not Hams, but still.... :)
Leave It, is a wonderful thing to teach a dog!

Good for your young daughter to understand and want to train dogs! Too many 13 year olds want a dog for the wrong reasons. I hope your daughter continues with this desire.

[Diane and Alma]

The gal said they get training through CCI every month or so.  That way, everyone is doing the same training with their pups as they grow.  I think they must train everyone to use the gentle leader.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Terrific.

[Pat and Traveler]

Very cool shot, and story!  What a pack of good dogs!

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

My what will power!  good doggies! 

[DJ & Chance]

Amazing!